Revenge Under Surveillance

Sharp waves of pain hit my abdomen; I curled up on the hospital bed, my forehead drenched in cold sweat, my fingertips trembling uncontrollably. The doctor, clutching the surgery consent form, rushed over. His white coat still smelled of disinfectant. His voice was urgent: "Haley Lynn, the baby's position is dangerously off. You need a cesarean section right away. Get a family member to sign quickly!" I bit my lip and fumbled for my phone, my fingers shaking as I dialed Caleb Lewis. The phone rang seven or eight times before he answered. Immediately, I heard loud voices, car horns blaring, and a soft female voice faintly in the background. "What's up? I'm kind of busy right now." Caleb Lewis's voice was clearly impatient, like I was interrupting something good. "Caleb, my stomach hurts badly," I gritted through the pain, my voice pleading, "The doctor says I need a C-section right away. You have to come sign the consent now!" "A C-section?" Caleb's tone was dismissive. "We'll talk later. I'm with Lia Lynn looking at a place right now. She really likes it, can't skip this." I felt like I'd been hit by lightning, my voice breaking. "You're looking at houses? I'm about to go into surgery, and you're out there with your assistant checking out real estate?" "It's no big deal, it's just having a baby." Caleb Lewis brushed it off, "Let the nurse take care of things for now. I'll be there as soon as I'm done." The call ended abruptly, leaving only the busy tone buzzing. My fingertips holding the phone went ice cold, tears spilled down, soaking the sheets beneath me. By the time my mom arrived, I was barely holding on. She looked at my pale face, signed the consent without hesitation, then choked up, clutching my hand: "Haley, don't be scared. Mom's here." As they wheeled me into the OR, the cold, harsh light above stabbed at my eyes; my last shred of hope in Caleb shattered completely.